New rifle.. What scope??

[Will_C]

I think I'd choose a Leupold 2.5-8 or the Zeiss 3-9x 36. Perfect for a light 7mm-08.

Will

[chrisw]

I used to go 50mm on my scopes but honestly it's unnecessary unless it's a night hunting predator rig. I've got a Leupold vx2 2.5-8x32 and it makes a great light hunting rifle scope. I've never once turned my scope up much past 5 or 6x to shoot a deer anyhow.

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[CapDistPatriot]

2 hours ago, Pygmy said:

Don't you DARE put a 50MM monstrosity  on  a fine, light hunting rifle  !!

33MM  or 36 MM  will transmit more than enough light, unless you are hunting after dark.....The thoughts of a 50 MM  on a Nula makes me want to slash my wrists  !!

Aesthetics do not matter unless you are on tv filming your hunts. All that matters is performance. Where i hunt, sundown may be 4:36, but the forest because of thick toposphere  is dark by 4:15. My partner hunts with a 50 bell, i with a 40 bell. I had to pass a deer at 4:20 and he got an 8 pointer at 4:30. I should have listened to him. Good shot, too double lung 100 yards with .270 BAR.

[Pygmy]

I'm not talking about aesthetics as much as  handling....Also   I have looked through my 4X 33 MM  M8 Leupolds enough under very low light conditions to know  that it can be pretty damn dark and I can still see well...

As far as filming goes,  it seems like every dork on those hunting shows has a big,oversized scope on his rifle...

Carry one around if you want...Just don't tell me that it makes an appreciable difference under 99% of hunting conditions, because this AIN'T my first day off the turnip truck....Hehehe...  Have a good day, my friend  !!….<<smile>>…..

[bugsNbows]

With an exit pupil of over 8, I”l bet you are right!!!

[moog5050]

15 hours ago, Pygmy said:

I'm not talking about aesthetics as much as  handling....Also   I have looked through my 4X 33 MM  M8 Leupolds enough under very low light conditions to know  that it can be pretty damn dark and I can still see well...

As far as filming goes,  it seems like every dork on those hunting shows has a big,oversized scope on his rifle...

Carry one around if you want...Just don't tell me that it makes an appreciable difference under 99% of hunting conditions, because this AIN'T my first day off the turnip truck....Hehehe...  Have a good day, my friend  !!….<<smile>>…..

That's my 30-30 scope.  I like it very much.  simple and functional.

[Pygmy]

1 hour ago, moog5050 said:

That's my 30-30 scope.  I like it very much.  simple and functional.

Most of my hunting  with my M70 .280  in NY, PA, Alaska and several western states and several  Canadian provinces  was with a fixed 4X Leupold...I have shot a couple of animals at 400 yards and a few at 300 yards with that combo, and never felt I lacked magnification....A few years ago I got a smokin deal on a like new  fixed 6x   by 36 MM Leupold, and that is what it currently wears...

My Ruger 77 .338 mag  wore a fixed 4x Leupold...Sold the rifle, but kept the scope and now it is on my CZ-550 American in 9.3 x 62...

When I bought my 7MM 08  Mountain rifle about 30 years ago, I intended to mount a 4x Leupy on it...However, the gunshop I bought it from ( Grice Wholesale)was running a promotion at the time on Burris scopes...If I bought a Burris , I got  rings, bases, and mounting free...They didn't have any fixed 4x Burris scopes, so I got a 2x7 x 36 MM Burris Fullfield...I have to admit it has been a good scope, and has served as my primary whitetail rifle ever since..I   keep it on 2x  when I am still hunting  or 4X while on stand...If I get a long shot from my tower blind I turn it up to 7X...Balances nicely on the rifle and does everything optically that I need a scope to do..

 

Edited November 29, 2018 by Pygmy

[Pygmy]

1 hour ago, moog5050 said:

That's my 30-30 scope.  I like it very much.  simple and functional.

K-I-S-S...….Hehehe.....

[moog5050]

1 minute ago, Pygmy said:

K-I-S-S...….Hehehe.....

Yep especially for those of us easily confused!

[Pygmy]

The scope kinda reminds of myself...Unfortunately, I am still simple, but not nearly as FUNCTIONAL as I  used to be..<<sigh>>...

[philoshop]

Just my 2 cents on this, but as others have said a fixed 4x Leupold is a lightweight and almost indestructible scope to compliment a lightweight rig. The only variable magnification scopes I have are on varmint rigs. A scope dialed in at 12x doesn't work very well on a woodchuck that's only fifty yards away. It's a brown blur. And a 4x scope isn't going to help much at 450 yards. It's all about trade-offs. That variable power scope costs more and weighs more. Not a big deal when I'm laying in a bean field looking for woodchucks, but if I have to carry it around for a day in the brush, my opinion changes.

At typical NY deer hunting ranges, if you can't hit it with a 4x scope, odds are pretty good you're not going to hit it with a 12x scope either. Save the money and the weight.

[Buckmaster7600]

Aesthetics do not matter unless you are on tv filming your hunts. All that matters is performance. Where i hunt, sundown may be 4:36, but the forest because of thick toposphere  is dark by 4:15. My partner hunts with a 50 bell, i with a 40 bell. I had to pass a deer at 4:20 and he got an 8 pointer at 4:30. I should have listened to him. Good shot, too double lung 100 yards with .270 BAR.

Aesthetics have nothing to do with it, why in the hell would someone spend that much cash on a sweet light rifle and weight it down with an anchor of a scope? If you think you need 50mm what you really need is better quality glass. I carry a scopes gun nearly 60 days a year and the largest objective I own is 36mm with most being 20-33mm, not once in my hunting career have I not been able to shoot at legal light and that includes hunting in normal states with an extra half hour on both ends of the day. Objectives do not gather light, that is a sales gimmick. Do some research it’s scientifically proven.

 

My suggestion for a scope would be a VX2 2-7x28 lightweight. If money is there a vx6 1-6 x24 would be perfect!

 

Also stay away from illuminated reticle unless the scope has very close to a true 1X. They’re completely useless unless very fast target acquisition is needed and they add unnecessary weight.

 

 

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[CapDistPatriot]

16 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Aesthetics have nothing to do with it, why in the hell would someone spend that much cash on a sweet light rifle and weight it down with an anchor of a scope? If you think you need 50mm what you really need is better quality glass. I carry a scopes gun nearly 60 days a year and the largest objective I own is 36mm with most being 20-33mm, not once in my hunting career have I not been able to shoot at legal light and that includes hunting in normal states with an extra half hour on both ends of the day. Objectives do not gather light, that is a sales gimmick. Do some research it’s scientifically proven.

 

My suggestion for a scope would be a VX2 2-7x28 lightweight. If money is there a vx6 1-6 x24 would be perfect!

 

Also stay away from illuminated reticle unless the scope has very close to a true 1X. They’re completely useless unless very fast target acquisition is needed and they add unnecessary weight.

 

 

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Who makes that scope? I wanna look into it

I googled it NM. Looks like some nice glass, I wanna put Leupold on my next rifle, never heard a negative sentiment about them.

Edited November 29, 2018 by CapDistPatriot
Added thoughts

[Jdubs]

Lots of great glass already mentioned.  It really comes down to personal budget and "must have" requirements.  I moved a NF 2.5-10x32mm to my deer rifle and couldn't be happier.  Both deer dropped last year were fast movers that came into my field of view and paused just long enough to make an accurate shot.  I definitely credit the NF scope for the quick target acquisition.

[Al Bundy]

What a question.. Seems to have elicited quite a bit of responses. I keep reading this thread and going out and checking reviews.   I've found good reviews on the Vortex Razor HD LH and this seems a great candidate.  2-10x40 or 1.5-8x32 is the question. Weight diff is small but there. Not sure if the 32 is a bit small.

Leupold is very much in the running as well.   I am not much of a gimmick kind of guy and one of the things I saw written about the Razor was its simple and easy to get a quick shot off. I like this. Also like the warranty, though Leupold is holding its own.  I am looking into the gimmickiness of leupold.

My wife is threatening to put me in the dog house due to all this outflow of cash. I say whatever.. I got a -20degree  mummy bag!! Ill miss my dog though.

 

[Gencountyzeek]

Leupold also has a lifetime warranty. Vortex is not the first to do this, but everyone always says it like they are the only ones.

[bugsNbows]

If U B interested, I've got a Nightforce 2.5-10 x 32 with IHR reticle I'm selling. PM if interested.

[CapDistPatriot]

18 hours ago, Pygmy said:

I'm not talking about aesthetics as much as  handling....Also   I have looked through my 4X 33 MM  M8 Leupolds enough under very low light conditions to know  that it can be pretty damn dark and I can still see well...

As far as filming goes,  it seems like every dork on those hunting shows has a big,oversized scope on his rifle...

Carry one around if you want...Just don't tell me that it makes an appreciable difference under 99% of hunting conditions, because this AIN'T my first day off the turnip truck....Hehehe...  Have a good day, my friend  !!….<<smile>>…..

I am just so pissed he was able to shoot cleanly 10 mins after I couldn't see. I use a Nikon Prostaff 3-9X40mm and it has been amazing and accurate for like 10 years. I am venting I will get over it when I fill a tag

[Buckmaster7600]

Leupold has the best customer service in the industry hands down. I have told this story on here before but this is the reason why I will only use Leupold for the rest of my life.

I got a gun from my grandfather about 5 years ago it had an ancient Leupold VX2 2-7 on it. There was some moisture in the scope making the lenses have a tint to them. I sent it to Leupold warrantee with a letter explaining
The scope was my grandfathers and had sentimental value so if it couldn’t be fixed I still wanted it back.

A couple weeks later I get a box in the mail and in it are two scopes and a letter stating they attempted to fix the scope and did the best they could but it still wasn’t up to their standards so they sent me a new one. The old scope is way better than it was and I use it regularly. Customer service like that is unheard of these days and after this even Leupold gained a forever customer.


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[Nytracker]

Swift optics.  3x9x40. Great price.  I bought one years ago think I gave 120 bucks new. Leupold was outside my budget. Lifetime warranty. Great glass for the price .   Had that scope on 2 different muzzloaders 12 guage 37 Ithaca  and finally encore 270. Week before season opener while checking zero it went blurry. Called them on Monday  told the woman I didn't have box warranty or receipt.  And the scope was over 20 years old. Woman on the phone apologized  for my inconvenience  offered to send me a new scope overnight no charge just ship old one back with the lable shipped in new box at my convenience. Next day new scope was waiting  on the doorstep. Brand new not a refurbished.  Now I know it's not a leupold  or a zeiss  but it's not junk. I dare say unless I told you you couldn't tell it's not a vx 1 or 2. I think they can be picked up from opticsplanet. 

 

[bugsNbows]

Please, don’t put a pos Chicom scope on that new rifle. 

The fixed 4x scopes are great... I run 3. A “new” one I’m considering is a Kaps. IOR also makes a sweet little 4X. 

[Benavok]

The weapon are great and smart i got one last year and am using it without any problem, it worth its price and quality. Am very happy that have it.I consider my budget and what will be my shooting activities. I aso consider the type of firearm that am going to mount my scope. Check it out https://www.atncorp.com/thermal-scope-thor-hd
 

Edited December 3, 2018 by Benavok

[LET EM GROW]

Cant beat leupold glass, but before you settle on a brand.. Check out Vortex or Athlon. I just bought an Athlon Midas BTR for my predator rig. 

All 3 companies have an unbeatable warranty and great customer service! I own scopes from all 3 of these manufactures .. they are all great scopes. and make a good variety to chose from.. all have different grades of glass, which id worry more about more glass quality,  than the magnification or objective.. 

Edited December 3, 2018 by LET EM GROW

[bugsNbows]

16 minutes ago, LET EM GROW said:

Cant beat leupold glass, but before you settle on a brand.. Check out Vortex or Athlon. I just bought an Athlon Midas BTR for my predator rig. 

All 3 companies have an unbeatable warranty and great customer service! I own scopes from all 3 of these manufactures .. they are all great scopes. and make a good variety to chose from.. all have different grades of glass, which id worry more about more glass quality,  than the magnification or objective.. 

Although pretty good, Leupold glass is not the best available.

[wildcat junkie]

On 11/28/2018 at 10:11 AM, Al Bundy said:

Got the call I was waiting for.. Melvin Forbes called and said my NULA is ready for painting. Now its time to get serious about a scope.  I need some serious schooling in scopes though as I don't know jack about them.  I am old school in that I had a 12 gauge no choke that knocked down everything I needed it to. (upgraded my 12 to a new SBE3!!! pick up Friday night...)  I been reading and reading about scopes and think I come up with a good candidate. Some back ground. Im getting the model 20 mountain rifle and want a lightweight/compact scope to put on it. I have one spot that I can shoot about 250 yards max but other than that its all going to be within 100 yard range until I can actually find a piece of land to buy.  I don't ever see using this at 800 yards type shooting.

Thinking this scope:  https://www.leupold.com/scopes/compact-scopes/vx-3i-3-5-10x40mm with a boone and crockett reticle. The reticles are driving me bonkers with different types and kinds.

Comments??

 

 

 

 

 

On 11/28/2018 at 10:42 AM, grampy said:

I have loved the Duplex reticles on the Leupolds for a long time. 

Have that reticle on my Zeiss Conquest too.

 

On 11/28/2018 at 10:56 AM, Gencountyzeek said:

Only shooting to 250 you definitely dont need a drop reticle. Love all my leupolds. My current favorite is my vx-r 4-12. They make it in a 3-9 also. Worth a look if you think you may ever need a illuminated reticle. What caliber is the rifle in?

 

On 11/28/2018 at 11:20 AM, Al Bundy said:

Rifle is 7mm 08.  What other compact lightweight scopes are out there??? I'm not stuck on Leupold.  Ill look at bushnell and red field. Zeiss looked great but the price tag seemed like there are others out there that will do the job for less money. 

That vx r is looking pretty sweet.

Get the Leupold with Standard duplex reticle.

 

Sight in 2 1/2" high at 100yds. With a 140 gr polymer tipped boat tail bullet at 2800 fps, you will be 3" high at 150 yds, 1/2" low around 250 yds and 3" low at around 280.

The top of the fine crosshair gap will be within be zero at 100 yds if you want to shoot something small at that distance. 

The bottom if the fine crosshair gap will be zero at about 325 yds.